BOSTON, Mass. - Six players scored in double digits including freshman Jocelyn Chaput (Nashua, N.H.) who came off the bench to score 17 points as the 24th-ranked University women's basketball team picked up a 95-42 victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both squads.
With the win the Nor'Easters improve to 4-2 on the season (1-0 CCC) while the Leopards fall to 1-5 (0-1).
After a senior Alicia Brown (Greenland, N.H.) jumper tied the game at 2-all, 1:05 into the contest, Wentworth went on a 5-0 run and took a 7-2 lead on a senior Kellie Messer (Hollis, N.H.) basket with 6:07 left. UNE used a 12-0 run and took a 16-9 lead after a transition layup from Chaput. The Nor'Easters led, 16-8, after the first quarter.
The Nor'Easters opened the second quarter on a 16-4 run and extended their lead to 20 (32-12) on a junior Sam McDonald (Lebanon, N.H.) three pointer. Wentworth trimmed the lead to 16 on a freshman Maya Spence (Georgetown, Mass.) three pointer with 2:25 left, however UNE scored the final four points of the quarter and led, 41-19, at the break.
UNE scored the first 12 points of the third quarter to extend its lead and would shoot 64.7 percent from the floor in the frame and connected on 56.3 percent of its shots in the fourth quarter.
Chaput shot 7-for-9 from the floor and also had four rebounds and three assists. MacDonald scored 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Freshman Sadie Nelson (Windham, Maine) had 13 points, four rebounds and four steals while senior Lindsey Howland (New Braintree, Mass.) scored 13 points, grabbed five rebounds, and have five assists and five steals. Freshman Olivia Allrich (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) had a double-double with 11 points and 18 boards. The Nor'Easters had a 54-24 rebounding advantage and scored 29 points off 25 Wentworth turnovers.
Junior Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) had 11 points for Wentworth while classmate Courtney McCormick (Hanson, Mass.) had six rebounds.
Both teams continue CCC play on Saturday. Wentworth is at Nichols and UNE hosts Salve Regina.
